Take A Bow

2 May 2012. Hence, the final performance day hath arrived!

Everybody did so well, I almost cried, both by being touched as well as tears of laughter. All of us put on a magnificent show tonight.Me and Eric were given the honour of curtain rising. So we kicked off the show with a little zest of McDonalds and some chick-checkinout attitude.

All our rehearsals, me and Eric, they finally paid off. We may have our ups and downs during the journey towards the final performances, but hey look where it brought us? I can never have a better theatre partner other than Eric himself. We bonded so well with the characters resulting in what I believe was a massively successful performance based on the audiences' reactions. I don't care I'm grabbing that A grade from Mr Rey today!

This has been both mentally and physically exhausting journey, I'm not gonna lie about that. And I thought it was worse in THTR101. But I enjoyed every single bit of the journey. I still find it hard to believe that its over. We, the pioneers of THTR102 offered in Taylors' Lakeside University, have finally completed the first semester of it with a bang!

I gotta say I'm gonna miss all the awesome people in THTR102. It opened my eyes to so many different individual characteristics as well as getting to know the class better. Theatre doesn't bring the experience to you, we are the ones that brings the experience to theatre, and that's what we do. We create our unique acts and performances to be enjoyed by audiences around any possible places. Thank you all once again, and to Mr Rey, for guiding me through THTR102 and adding to my book of Awesome Adventures.

"You know what I REALLY like Ty? BREASTS!!!!"

Yours truly,

- Josh ~

Sunday's rehearsal.

30th April 2012.

Met up and got close to the THTR101 students. They were quite friendly. I had a good talk with them about how their performance was and what needed to be improved. Reminds of my THTR101 experience myself.

Ideas developed more for my scene. Apparently Mr Rey suggess we interact with the audience. By interact, he meant asking them to turn off their handphones, and no flash photography, as well as many pointing of the fingers to indicate some of our scripts unto the audience.

Did the bump and tack today. Everybody was working hard. I never had seen a theatre preparation so formal and 'ready' for a performance before in my life, not even in theatre 101.

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A fun experience I had today. SOMEBODY locked one of the changing rooms, and in it were everybody's belongings eg, makeup, handbags, water bottles and you name it. We walked around campus for 1 hour trying to find the keys to open the door. After asking security, they came and tried the door, but to no avail. Apparently they can't find the right keys to open the door. Many of us became frantic as some were leaving home already. So I offered to climb up the roof through the panels from the other changing room, With Adam and Eric helping to pile up blocks and holding them steady, i climbed over.

I had to thread lightly, the panels were so weak that it couldn't support my whole weight. Nevertheless I pulled through, suffering a few scratches and cuts, but the experience was fun. I enjoyed.

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Just a highlight of the night I guess :)

Beatsheet.

Beatsheet for Guys - Robb Badlam

Duff: Me (Joshua Wong)
Ty: Eric Tan

Duff: You know what i really like Ty?


Ty: Whats that duff ?   (disinterested)


Duff: Breasts


Ty: Sure


Duff: No I'm serious, I'm really fond of them (gotta get him interested)


Ty: Okay


Duff: (So I elaborate more) Not too big not too small just a good round breast


Ty: Roundness is key  (thinks about breasts)

Duff: And firmness, somewhere between a water balloon and a nerf ball


Ty: Its important

Duff: Hey Ty, you suppose major Mc Cheese has much of the hot sex


Ty: Hmm? ( clueless)

Duff: Mayor Mc Cheese


Ty: Yeah (very sure)

Duff: How'd you figure


Ty: He's the mayor !

Duff: But he's got this big freakish head full of soggy meat


Ty: Never underestimate the allure of celebrity

Duff: The Allure of celebrity?


Ty: Dude, people have sex with Steve Buscemi (trying to convince duff)

Duff: But you ever suppose anybody just takes a big bite out of his head?


Ty: Steve Buscemi (shocked)

Duff: Mayor Mc Cheese , i mean he's got a big head full of soggy meat you wouldn't suppose anybody just goes up to him and bites him


Ty: No (irritated)

Duff: Why not?


Ty: He's the mayor

Duff: What are you reading?


Ty: Crossword

Duff: You're reading the crossword?


Ty: I'm doing the crossword (even more irritated)

Duff: But you're not writing anything down


Ty: I'm doing it in my head

Duff: in your head?


Ty: Yeah, its pretty hard (subtly drops hint to ask duff to leave him alone)

Duff: why are you doing it in your head?


Ty: I lost my pen

Duff: You could use another pen


Ty: I don't have another pen (pissed off)

Duff: You could borrow someone elses pen


Ty: I liked my pen


Duff: you could go buy a new pen


Ty: That's a lot of trouble to go through just for a crossword.

Duff: So you lost your pen, and now your going to go through the whole rest of your life, without writing anything down


Ty: Its not much of a plan, but it'll do for now


Duff: You know what we really need Ty


Ty: Girlfriends Duff? (sudden realization of how sad his life is without female accompaniment)

Duff: Yeah

Duff: Dude five o'clock


Ty:Yours or mine (confused)

Duff: Yours

Duff: Not Yet


Ty: Whats the recon? (curious)


Duff: No visible rings, no apparent male accompaniment


Ty: and for lunch?

Duff: I believed she's selected the McNuggets


Ty: Solid Menu choice

Duff: Ok she's not looking


Ty: (Tosses chip) Zoiks (overwhelmed)

Duff: That is not an unattractive young lady


Ty: Hear Hear (agrees)

Duff: If women could just spend half and hour inside the male brain they would never talk to us again


Ty: They don't talk to us now (confused)


Duff: No no i mean all guys , MEN. When they finally figured out that fully one half of the male brain is constantly masturbating, and we can't help it its nature.


Ty: Yeah, Like photosynthesis (making sense)

Duff: completely independent of our higher brain activity, and its not just your leering construction 
workers its all, its all Guys


Ty: Yeah its everybody.

Duff: You're damn skippy


Ty:You know my dad once told me he wanted to come back in the next life as a women's bicycle seat (makes a joke about dad)

Duff: Your dad has some issues he needs to work out dude.
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Duff: TY! TY, she has a pen .


Ty: My pen? (happy)

Duff: No..

Duff: Ask her if she can borrow it


Ty: But its not my pen

Duff: Dude work with me here. (Trying to get him to understand the point)

Ty: and if it was my pen i couldn't borrow it , you can't borrow something that doesn't belong to you (stuck in his own thought)


Duff: Dude! This is not about the Pen!.

Ty: Oh! , an In (realizing the implication and opportunity)

Duff: Bingo (Mission accomplished, he understands)


Ty: That's a high difficulty maneuver dude.

Duff: Opportunity is knocking my friend, she has a pen you have a pen, this can't be more perfect


Ty: Why don't you ask her? (convinces duff to ask her instead)

Duff: I don't need a pen........... (looks for another method) take off your watch

Ty: What?


Duff: Take off your watch

Ty: Why? (confused)


Duff: so you can ask her what time it is

Ty: Why don't you ( asks duff to go do it )


Duff: I'm not wearing a watch

Ty: ......Eh Duff ( tries to make sense of what he just heard)

Duff: Shut up Ty. (trying to cut him off in case of more embarressment)

Ty: if you are the one that really wants to talk to her, why do you want me to go over there and do it?


Duff: You'll be my facilitator. (trying to justify why i 


Ty: Your facilitator?


Duff: Yeah you know break the ice a little small talk , you go ask her about pens like a warm up band


Ty: a Warm up band?


Duff: Yeah!


Ty: No (shoots him down)


Ty: Just go


Duff: What?


Ty: Just over there and introduce yourself.


Duff: You're pretty damn brave with somebody else's neck on the line.


Ty: Neck? what neck , this a neck free situation whats the worst she can do? Say no


Duff: I can't


Ty: fifty bucks


Duff: what ?


Ty: fifty bucks you go over there and say "hello", and if she says "no thanks i have a boyfriend eat 
mace and die freak boy" there's fifty bucks in it for you, to soften the blow (offering a deal)


Duff: and where are you gonna get fifty bucks ?


Ty: I'll sell a kidney , dude fifty bucks


Duff: and what if she says yes?


Ty: You win a cookie , dammit man the real victory is going over there (convincing him)


Duff: okay .


Duff: I can't


Ty: Why? (questions him)


Duff : Because


Ty: FIFTY AMERICAN DOLLARS (pushing the victory condition)


Duff: NO no , i can't do it.


Ty: (chicken noises) (mocking him)


Duff: That's not fair


Ty: Fifty bucks


Duff: Not enough! (extremely angry)


Ty: how about fifty bucks and whatever is left of your dignity


Duff: What?


Ty: Didn't think so (dissapointed)


Duff: You don't believe i can bring myself over there and introduce myself to a woman? (feeling that Ty didnt believe his skills 


Ty: No


Duff: I'll have you know i have talked to many many women in my life.


Ty: Waitresses, Checkout clerks, the occasional telemarketer ,,, (shoots Duff (insult)) MOM.


Duff: Oh that's it i will not be mocked i'm going over there! I'm there already ....(stunned, trying to locate the girl)


Ty: Gone isn't she?


Duff: You know what i really like Ty?


Ty: Breasts?


Duff: *Mumbles Yeah (slams fist on table because of missing a chance to hookup with the girl)

20 April 2012

Me and Eric woke up at 5 to get our props ready to bring to class today. We were the first there, so Mr Rey worked with us first.

Honestly, I was shocked at his criticism. I didn't know how much detail we were lacking in our play. He started from A - Z about what was needed to be improved, as well as mentioning about space and things that outstage us.

Here are the details to keep me posted.

- Never use the Mcdonald's dinner set box. It outstages the actors because it's too big.

- Do not wear specs on stage. I have seriously forgotten why, but its in my favor since I don't like wearing it.

- Needs music. Ambiance needed.

- SPEAK LOUDER.. I mumble too much, I still haven't got a habit for projecting my voice.

- Need to move around. All of our practices involved only sitting.

Hey listen! A symphony of Destruction!

BOOM and FINALLY our scene for Finals!

- GUYS by Robb Badlam. -

That was our title entitled to us as characters. Here is the object exercise.

"Guys by robb Badlam"
Who am i ?
I am Lud Van Duffman, a sophomore from the University of San Diego. 

Where am i?
At Mcdonalds , having lunch Ty, my best friend since pre-school.

What time is it?
Its in the middle of the day, we just finished our classes and we are going to McDonalds for lunch

What surrounds me?
A hot girl who comes in whilst we are eating
A burger. 
Ty. 
Other people in Mcdonalds.

What are my relationships?
Hot girl - stranger that is very hot, i tried to check her out
Ty - Trying to get him interested in my interests - Breasts. But he keeps shutting me off. Trying to enjoy my burger and checking out girls at the same time.

What are the given circumstances?
I am relatively good looking and unkempt.

What do i want?
I want to get hooked up to any girl, because I'm in dire need of a girlfriend.

What is in my way?
Ty, because he isn't going to help me get a girl.

What do i do to get what i want?
Muster enough courage to get myself to ask that hot girl stranger out for a date.

THE MASKS.

This morning we have a small little nice meeting, long time since we had one that's nice. In my terms at least.

So again and again, every action has to be justified. I have to keep reminding myself this point because it reminds me of why I'm doing it. Can't be on stage for no reason. And it is said that everything on stage is a Verb. An action. I'll be interested to get that book Rey showed us. Damn I forgot most of the important details today. Ill be sure to take a notebook with me next class.

Today we finally did Characterization. Most of us including me have been waiting for this for a very long time. I learnt the essences about masks. One should not touch the face of the mask, or lie the mask face-down on the table. Each mask has different personalities compared to white masks, called the neutral masks. I also learnt that when the mask is put on, you are now known as, the mask itself. Let the mask absorb you.

Nonetheless, each of us got to wear the mask and do a series of acts with it, with Rey and the crowd in command. The key to it was, don't think of what the mask can do for you, because you won't have time to think at all. It was fun playing around with the masks. I got to wear the blond wig that David wanted so bad, hahahaha.

Friday up, Neutral Scenes. Another round of beat sheets and scrips coming up..

Object Exercise for Neutral Scene

Who am I?

- I am a brother towards Eric.

Where am I?

- At a funeral.

What time is it?

- Late afternoon.

What surrounds me?

- Rain and dark atmosphere.

What are my relationships?

- Siblings and loved one.

What are the given circumstances?

- Our mother just passed away.

Monday 19/3/2012

So Mr. Rey said not to put journals in terms of just what happens during lessons. Means to say I've been doing my journal wrong all these while. Waste of time.

So I'll cut this chase short.

During today's lesson, after we divided into our groups for finals, we did charades. Charades were to create lines for a script we have to work in this Friday. So anyway, I did several characters with Eric, my finals partner. We concluded with a final characterization of me being a fanboy, and Eric being the rockstar that the fanboy wants to flirt with.

Here's the beatsheet for this Friday's neutral scene performance.

A: Please (>Get Eric to go home)

B: I can't (

A: Just try (= Persuades again)

B: I don't know (>got to go, but doesn't want to leave. = Indecisive)

A: Please

B: Can you (>I've got to get rid of him

A: Don't even

B: But

A: No

B: You're mad

A: Please (>I've got to calm down)

B: Alright (

A: Ready

B: You know (>I've got to get rid of memories. = So I give Josh the item)

A: What's that

B: Here

A: Okay (>Keep it with care.

B: Great

Friday 15/3/2012

I missed class on Monday so I didn't know what was to be done. But i asked around and I figured out.

We are given a partner for our finals. We started working on scripted plays, starting off with simple words and lines to express a situation. I got Eric and we had to work initially with a gym locker scene, but Rey changed it to a funeral scene. But I digress.

Today's lesson we learnt about how to put the scripted words of character A and character B into different background scenes, how to put emotions and actions into it. Fridays classes are not much because we are seperated into groups to do our individual acts. The whole class today, we just did most of the script reciting and discussions for our next meeting. I didn't learn much today.

P.S. My beat sheet is on Vhina's blog, she has requested me to inform you that our beat sheet is listed on her blog. But if you insist on me having my own beat sheet, I'll write one from scratch. Thank you sir.

Monday 5/3/2012

For the first time I was 'early' to class. Well I cheated because I didn't sleep that night. I was so afraid of being late to class after attending classes late for 3 times in a row already. Sleep deprived, I zonked out after class in SLC.

Today we paired up on alot of activities. We finally had the chance to talk crap today. I have THTR101 background so I'm familiar with this. One must speak non-stop about a topic, and blabber non-stop about it. Then when we were asked to find a partner, we blabbered to each other about it.

Then a slight twist began. In the midst of our blabbering, we have to catch what your partner is talking and slip his words into your own story-telling, while imitating gestures that your partner does.

Next, while applying that concept, comes the 'interruption'. This is called Give and Take, as learnt in THTR101. When one talks, the other must catch a keyword and starts to talk, and the other person gives him the opportunity to talk, and vice versa. This trains us to learn a silent form of chemistry of acting in stage; the spotlight is not on you, it's on the stage.

PS. Mid terms on friday.

Monday 27/2/2012

I was feeling sick, Monday blues. Anyway I just got home from an almost 18 hour day of assignments, presentation on politics which I'm not keen on, as well as preparing for music stuff, but I digress.

I can't remember any significant progress for me that day, but I'll talk on a few that interested me. We had to walk around, being split into A and B. Acting the roles of opposites, such as Rich and Poor, walking chest up, big strides, as well as walking with feet inwards, low paces. Rey has termed it as the 'Status Game'.

Everyday, we look at different people with a sense of status. We judge them on a daily basis, friends, new people, even family members sometimes.

Next activity was about having to choose one block to sit on. With 2 people on each block on the floor, we were given a part of a script to follow. It was about a jewellery store. One person acts as the jeweller, the other acts as a customer. The roles we have to play are about being passive then aggressive, and vice versa to the partner. Transitions between passive and aggressive can happen suddenly as well as gradually.

Reflecting on today's lesson, the one that can be applied to my life is the status game. I observe this specifically on everybody I know, just about everyday. The level which I judge them on, and to each different individual how they place me on their own ladder of status, I am very aware of it.

Note: No matter who judges you, no amount of judgement should deter who you are and what you should do. Do not waver, for in it lies the benign signs of reform, and ultimately destroying you. Be who you are to be.

Yours truly,

- Josh

Monday 20/2/2012

I skipped last friday's post because everybody performed their skits. #likeaboss.

Today as Monday, the 2 separate classes merges. Monday is the only day to merge. I kinda enjoyed today's lesson because it just got a little more in-depth, including breathing exercises, tapping each other's butt, and the 'choose-a-partner-and-provide-response-to-them exercise.

For me, the most significant activity today was the butt-touching one. One must touch the partner's butt without getting your own butt touched by your partner, but the catch was you have to taunt with your butt to your partner, providing an opening. Then in the midst of it, Rey changes the mood of the scenes, examples like doing it slow motion, fast-motion, ballade-style, sexily, and angrily. This is significant to me because I learnt that the butt-touching was like activities on a stage. To create a scene, one must give and take, provide openings and opportunities for the other actor, as well as grasping the opportunities given the openings of the other actor. I conclude that this activity was a form of chemistry that one must harness between oneself and with other actors.

Note to self: Next class will be a 1 minute ++ monologue phone conversation. This is our first ever monologue scene. I hate writing the beat sheet, because I'll never understand it.

Another enrichment detail to keep: Laughter spoils acting.

Yours truly,

Josh

Monday 13/2/2012

We kicked started today's lesson with the usual walk-around warm up.

For this journal, I'll just be answering the object exercises that Rey has given us. This is to help emphasize the focus on the 1 minute/2 minute play in terms of purpose, objective, and what-you-want out of it.

Who am I?

- I am a student.

Where am I?

- I'm in my bedroom.

What time is it?

- It's lunch time.

What surrounds me?

- Toiletries and a pail.

What are my relationships?

- Annoyed situation.

What are the given circumstances?

- I'm having a major diarrhea

WHAT DO I WANT?

- To get this shit out of my ass.

WHAT IS IN MY WAY?

- The toilet door is stuck, zipper is stuck, the flush will not work.

WHAT DO I DO TO GET WHAT I WANT?

- Force the door open, use a pail to flush.

We are required to write down something called 'beats'. Something in a music context, is called the tempo.

Friday 10/2/2012

Class began today with a twist. Rey decided to split the class into 2 groups. One group needs to attend classes on the friday timetable as normal, another group needs to attend a wednesday class instead of friday.

Mr Rey told us today that acting itself was craft, a part of an art. I forgot to bring my props today so I didn't get to perform my 1 minute act. Nevertheless, next class, everybody is required to perform a 2 minute act with 3 props at least. This journal post serves as a reminder to me.

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I'm beginning to sense a difference in THTR102 compared with THTR101. The funny thing is, more of yourself is needed to strike a performance. It's more of individual effort contribution in the future, I can sense it coming.

Yours truly,

Josh.

3/2/2012

First day of class: Rey introduced to us the concept of THTR102. A little tad different from THTR101 nonetheless most of it seems to remain the same.

We started off with the ball passing again, accompanied with Yes 1, Yes 2, and so on. It works in synchronization with the brain to train our hand-eye coordination, because saying Yes 1, throwing the ball to another person, and maintaining eye contact with the person you're throwing it to, all plays an important role as in to PASS THE ROLE to another actor.

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Next class --> Having to perform a 1 minute skit about Spotting.

Difficulty --> 1---|------10

Reason --> Allowing Rey to believe what we're doing. Last thing to hear from him is "I don't believe you."

Lesson of the day: Acting is about giving the role to another person.